A Walk in the Woods
by Telomerase
Summary: Pouring rain, desecrated backpacks, and angsty young adults? Such is the norm of a vacation with the Turks. All Reno, Rude and Elena want is some R+R, but the powers that be seem to see fit that they get more than they bargained for. PART 2 UP!!
1. Default Chapter

**

A Walk in the Woods

**

By  
AnGi Kitty

Disclaimerish babblings: I do not own the Turks. ;_; Square does. However, I own this story, so please do not say it is yours, for it is not. Happy reading! Please review! Need…comments…to live…

**Part One**

She did not like what she saw.

It was a horrible, ugly, gray day outside, dark clouds looming ominously over her head. The air reeked of rain; it was not camping weather in the slightest.

Elena groaned loudly, smacking her head with her palm. This had to happen. It always did. On the rare opportunity that Heidegger, that fat, lazy oaf, would give her and her fellow Turks a vacation, Nature would see to it that they would not enjoy themselves. No, not even a little bit. There had been bugs. There had been avalanches. There had been AVALANCHE. This month, it was a storm, lingering over their heads, watching and waiting for the perfect time to strike.

"Sure is shitty weather, huh, 'Lena?" Reno drawled, his messy red hair crumpled by a well-worn hat. His nose was slathered in sunscreen, its only purpose now to clog his pores.

Elena nodded, too dejected to grace him with verbal response. His backpack caught her eye, the sack deformed by lack of items in it. How like him. It was a cliché of Reno to be unprepared.

"Is that all you're bringing?" she questioned in awe, staring wide-eyed. He retorted with a raise of his red eyebrow, a sort of why-the-fuck-do-you-care kind of eyebrow.

"We're only going to be there two nights," Rude spoke calmly as he filled a canteen with water from the faucet. "We don't need much except for a change of clothes and necessities…" His voice faded into the air as he craned his neck to peer inconspicuously at Elena's backpack.

If you could call it that.

The huge sack bulged out at every angle, packed to full capacity with what seemed like every item Elena owned. A random sock hung out of a pocket; some dental floss was entangled in a zipper. Rude thought he saw the outline of a propane tank. How like her. It was a cliché of Elena to be over-prepared.

"Hot damn, Elena, you'd think you were moving, not camping!" Reno guffawed, clutching his stomach as he rolled with laughter. Elena crossed her arms over her chest defensively.

"Hmph! Unlike some people—" she glared once again at Reno's understuffed knapsack, "—I like to be prepared!"

"It's really going to weigh you down while we hike," Rude pointed out, as nicely as he could. Elena still would not budge.

"That is what I'm bringing," she enunciated through clenched teeth. "And that is what will be brung."

"Brought. The word should be brought." "I don't care!" she screeched, stomping her foot on the smooth linoleum. "Let's just go! Okay, bye-bye!" she trudged out the door, mumbling incoherently.

"…Reno?" Rude asked, his voice stern.

"…Yes?"

"Did you put anything in her tea this morning?"

The redhead smirked.

****

The weather's condition still had not improved by the time the threesome reached the camping site. In fact, it had worsened. A light drizzle had begun to fall, the miniscule specks of water drifting sleepily through the air. It was raining not so hard as to seriously drench one, but hard enough so damp clothes clung to one's body.

The men had a hard time not staring at Elena; the khaki shirt sticking tightly to her chest, accenting curves that they had never noticed before through her meticulously pressed Turk suit. At one time, Reno tumbled into a mudhole, too busy concentrating on the slightly transparent clothing to watch where he was walking. Rude couldn't help but stifle a giggle, however he was silenced when he too fell in the muck, landing on Reno in a disheveled heap. Birds took wing and left their respective trees, alarmed by his string of profanity. Elena whimpered softly, arms crossed over her chest self-consciously.

"I want to go home," she sniveled. Reno laid a muddy hand on her shoulder, nodding sympathetically. Rude sighed, his bald head luminous with crystalline drops of water.

"I understand that this isn't the best day for this—well, it isn't the best day for anything—"

"—Except for staring at Elena's…" the lopsided grin was wiped off of Reno's face as Elena took a wild swing at his jaw. She missed; consequently Reno ducked, slipped, and fell into a puddle, spraying dishwater-colored liquid over Elena's legs. Her bottom lip quivered as she stared despondently at her desecrated garments.

The men's eyes widened, and they rushed over quickly, simultaneously clapping a hand over Elena's mouth before a wail could escape her lips.

"Don't cry…_please_ don't cry!" Reno breathed frenetically as muffled tears fell from Elena's hazel eyes.

"Look…I think I see the campsite!" Rude offered reassuringly, pointing at a patch of shrubs a few feet away.

"Yeah!" Reno smiled, pointing in a completely different direction from Rude. "We'll get settled in and then get something to eat…think there's a barbecue in that bag of yours?" Elena bit his hand in response to the joke.

"I'm fine," she said unconvincingly. "Let's get out of here."

And so they trudged on once again, in neither Reno's direction or Rude's.

****

"So this is the campsite…?" All three Turks stared somberly at the clearing, exhausted. Save for a few low shrubs, the area was bare, dusty ground dampened by the rain. Reno flung off his knapsack, not lessening the weight he felt on his neck. Elena gingerly set down the body bag sized backpack, shrugging her shoulders to get the blood flowing to her sore muscles. Rude unzipped his duffel and pulled out his tent, checking to make sure all the rods were intact. He chose a smooth spot of ground and began to set up.

Reno also reached into his bag and got his own tent; holes covered with duct tape in a wide spectrum of colors. Whistling, he paced in a circle, scanning the area for a level patch of land. Finding none, he kicked away a few rocks. Then, much to Elena's disgust, he stripped off his clothing, laying it over the ground as padding for the tent. Upon noticing Elena's gaze, he winked and put a finger to his lips, signaling her to be silent. She shrugged and initiated in searching her own bag for a tent, disrupted momentarily by Rude's high pitched squeal at seeing Reno in only his paisley boxers.

Shoving her hand deeper into the bag, Elena let out a small curse upon being prodded by the mercury thermometer. More curses followed after being jabbed by a fork, banana, tampon, and turkey baster, respectively. She stuck her head in the bag, surveying the clutter with the now-found flashlight. Rude squealed again as a slew of four-letter words shattered the silence.

"I _knew_ I forgot something!" she moaned, rubbing her temples. She stared forlornly at the mess before her, various items strewn about the ground, the tent not one of them. Her mouth smarted as again Reno clapped a hand over it. And again Reno was bitten.

"Calm down, I'm not gonna cry," she said, irritated. "It's just that…I don't have a tent."

"Well that's not good!" Reno said, shaking his head in sorrow. Elena raised an eyebrow in feigned bemusement.

"I guess someone's going to have to share a tent…or sleep outside…" Rude pondered. The ice-cold stares of Reno and Elena caused Rude to quickly dismiss the latter thought.

"Well…why don't the guys share Rude's tent, and I'll take Reno's?" Elena offered, delighted at the prospect of having a tent to herself.

"No way!" Reno interjected. "Rude, man, I _know_ what you say in your sleep…sorry, man, I don't have the stomach to share a tent with you." Rude bowed his head, ashamed.

"Well…" he started, after a long period of throat clearing. "That only leaves one option…Elena and Reno."

Reno beamed, gleefully remembering the wet T-shirt incident.

Elena grimaced, unhappily remembering the wet T-shirt incident.

"I'll go get my sleeping bag," Rude said awkwardly. Elena nodded, not taking her eyes off of Reno, staring through him, reading his mind. Reno nonchalantly waved a hand in Rude's direction.

How happy he was to share a tent with the pretty blonde, feisty as she may be. His heart raced at the thought; blood rushing to his head giving him a momentary high. He turned a beaming mug to face her. Her gaze cut through him like a knife, hazel eyes steely cold, lips pursed. He swallowed.

"Yeah, I'll go get my sleeping bag too," he mumbled sotto voce. Shivering, he found his bag and rummaged through it for the well-worn denim slacks and green T-shirt he had packed.

"Oh shit…"

He pulled out the T-shirt, garment drenched in sunscreen, the familiar coconut stench filling the air. The bottle had exploded most likely when he tossed the stained bag on the ground. And it sure hadn't skimped on soaking every item in the sack; items formerly known as trousers and porno magazine now vague gooey-white blobs. Reno calmly walked to Rude's tent.

"Knock, knock."

"Yes?" Rude unzipped the 'door', silently perplexed at why Reno had still not bothered to put on some clothes.

"Sunscreen exploded," Reno said plainly, as if it were all the explanation needed. Rude lowered his sunglasses, sky-blue eyes etched with puzzlement.

"Can I borrow some clothes?" Reno spoke again, this time more urgently. He scuffed the dirt with his feet as his eyes darted around nervously. Great, all he needed now was to embarrass himself in front of Elena again. The puddle incident had been mortifying enough.

Rude handed him a striped polo and beige pants, the clothing obviously too large, but better than nothing. Reno nodded in silent thanks and slipped on the outfit. It hung off of him in loose folds, the appearance more than slightly comedic.

Hiking up the pants to his ribs, he waddled over to the shared tent, not bothering to alert the other occupant with verbal greeting before entering. It was his tent after all, couldn't he just go in?

"AIIIIIIEEEEEE!"

The shriek from the sports-bra clad Elena gave him an answer. It was no. He blushed crimson, face matching his unkempt mane of hair. He turned on his heel and mumbled an apology.

Elena could not believe that she was stuck with this pervert, quirkily cute as he may be. For one thing, he had no respect for women in any way, except maybe as quick and easy lays. And he'd known her long enough to know she wasn't like that; the only person she'd even think of _willingly_ showing her body to was Tseng, and where was he now? Dead and buried under Temple of the Ancients rubble. She sighed, pulling a maroon blouse over her head and sliding into comfy black corduroys. Her pillow and sleeping bag were already spread out on her side of the tent, and she clutched the faded pink pillow to her chest, savoring the softness that she felt she was never at the receiving end of.

"Can I come in?" Reno called, keeping his eyes locked on the undistinguishable shrub in front of him. Elena grunted, face still buried in the pillow.

"I'll take that as a yes," he said, and clamored into the tent.

"What the hell are you wearing?" Elena erupted into a fit of giggles, covering her mouth that still hurt from Reno doing the same. Reno already was skinny, but the sight of him in Rude's clothes took it beyond that. The shirt was down to his knees; the collar hung off of his shoulder. The pants looked as if a whole other person could fit comfortably inside them. In short, he looked like a pubescent waif. The redhead furrowed his brows in response to Elena's laughter and chewed on his bottom lip.

"My sunscreen exploded, okay? _Look_!" he shoved the retrieved bag in her face. She peered into the receptacle, clearing her throat as she surveyed what destruction had taken place. She handed the bag back to him and he hmphed in approval.

"Trip isn't going well for you either, I see," she said softly.

Reno could feel his lips tingling, longing to comfort the girl with a soft, warm kiss. He squinted his eyes; when he opened them the feeling was gone.

Elena let out a heavy sigh. "I never liked camping."

"Why?" Reno questioned as he absentmindedly took his sleeping bag out of its sunscreenified bag.

"I dunno…I guess just being away in an unfamiliar place with none of the comforts of home is a little…well, it's a little scary," she chuckled softly to herself. "I know it's stupid. I'm a Turk, blah blah blah, I should be used to not staying in one spot all the time."

Neither of them said a word for some time. Every few seconds, Elena would push a lock of hair behind her ear; Reno would chew on his fingernails, humming some random tune.

"I'm scared of stuff too," Reno broke the silence, ring finger between his teeth as he spoke. "I'm scared…I'm scared I'll wake up and the people I know won't be there, ya know? It's fucked up, I mean, I'm cautious about what I do, 'specially in this job, but…I guess 'cause it's happened before and the fear kinda stuck." Elena looked at him quizzically and he elaborated. "My mom…she had some weird shit going on…she killed herself when I was seven, and…" he clenched his teeth together, breaking through the nail. He grimaced at the pain but did not make a sound.

Elena felt cold, not saying anything. But how could she say anything in response to _that_? She'd never really imagined Reno with parents. He always just seemed like a loner.

"Um…you hungry for dinner? I'll go make hot dogs or whatever if you want…" _Real comforting, Elena,_ she thought. _I mean…hot dogs! That's not what I'd want to hear…either talk too much or say the wrong thing…no wonder Tseng never lifted a finger in my direction_.

Elena hardly noticed Reno's lips on hers, too lost was she in her own thoughts. She closed her eyes; the kiss was feather-light, like the kiss of an angel. Like Tseng…

Her eyes snapped open, hoping to see the apparition of Tseng before her. Instead, it was Reno, pulling away, looking into her confused eyes in a mixture of bliss and embarrassment. She unconsciously put a hand to her mouth.

"Hot dogs would be great," he said. "I'll go tell Rude."

As soon as he left, Elena grabbed the water bottle out of the side pocket of her backpack and guzzled down the liquid, trying to wash her mouth clean of that kiss.

****

Rude was more than disappointed that his fellow Turks were not enjoying themselves. He, personally, loved camping; it brought back memories of childhood, warm Gongaga summers spent making tree-forts with his friends and assailing girls with pinecones. He thumbed listlessly through an old magazine, bored out of his mind.

"I wonder how Reno and Elena are doing?" he thought aloud, mainly just to hear the sound of his own voice. He'd swear that sometimes he was going mute. It wasn't that there was nothing to talk about; it was that there was no one he really enjoyed talking to.

Reno and Elena. His main source of entertainment. At times he'd feel as if he were their babysitter; breaking up fights and keeping things in line. How he wished Tseng was still here, that man had a way with people. Without even speaking he could keep the Turks under control. Rude just couldn't do that, no matter how hard he tried. Face it, it was chemistry. The jovial redhead and the spunky blonde had something that sparked when they were together; unbeknownst as it was to the two. Rude knew that Reno had his eye on Elena; since they first met Reno had been going after girls who wouldn't hesitate to give him a black eye. And Elena…well, she was the most unique girl he had met, next to Tifa, that pretty brunette from AVALANCHE. She was smart, she was pretty, and she was damn brave…her only fault was that she would babble. Constantly. About her breakfast, her new shoes, a soap opera she watched on her day off, 'feminine issues' that no one could stomach, and at times even confidential mission information. Hopefully she would grow out of it; it really damaged her image.

"Yo, Rude man?" Reno's drawling tone broke Rude's train of thought.

"…Yes?" Rude questioned. Hopefully Reno hadn't done something stupid. Being stuck in a tent with Elena, he probably had.

"We're gonna make hot dogs," Rude breathed a sigh of relief. "Will you help us set up the fire?"

"Sure—"

"—Also, I kissed Elena. That's bad, huh?" Rude hit his head with the magazine. Very bad, Reno. He unzipped the front flap of the tent and stepped out, towering over Reno's 6'2".

"Depends," he spoke as he gathered stones, frameworks for the fire. "Was it a…mutual thing?"

"Err…not really. I kinda just leaned in and _did it_." Upon speaking, Reno realized he was a dumbass.

"Mm-_hmm_. Well, do you think she enjoyed it?" Rude laid the last stone in place and proceeded to gather firewood. In other words, twigs and the old magazine he had been reading.

"Dunno, man. I thought I heard her gargling afterwards…"

"That's usually a bad sign. Sorry, Reno," Rude fumbled in his pocket for a match and struck it, setting the mess of ignitables ablaze.

"Dammit!" Reno cursed, squatting. "I thought we'd reached, like, a wavelength, man!"

"…She still loves him, Reno."

"…I know," the familiar face of Tseng appeared in Reno's mind, his defined features as smooth as always, his dark eyes glistening with an accustomed light. "She can't let go."

"She _can_," Rude corrected. "She just doesn't want to."

The two men stared into the growing fire, engrossed in their thoughts. The sound of a zipper brought them back to life.

"Hey guys! Check out what I found in my backpack!" Elena appeared triumphant, holding a bag of marshmallows in front of her. "We can eat 'em after dinner!" Her joy lessened as she studied the solemn expressions of her fellow Turks.

"Or…_I_ can eat 'em after dinner…" she set the bag down and squatted next to Reno. "What's up? Where're the hot dogs?"

"Dunno. Maybe you _gargled them_!" Reno spat. Rude rubbed his temples, embarrassed by his friend's poor comeback. Elena stood up and placed her hands on her hips.

"Oh, please! Are you really going to make such a big deal out of it? It was just a little kiss!"

Reno sighed, and a half-hearted smile crossed his face. He then shook his head, staring into the flames.

"A little kiss?" he mumbled. "I was pouring out my soul to you, honey. I thought we had made a connection. I thought we had something. But I guess I was wrong."

Elena's eyes widened, anger discernible on her face. "I should have known. Mumble a few sad words and expect me to be flat on my back? _I never loved you_!" Reno's eyes narrowed. "Holy shit, you think all the girls will bow down to you, don't you? Make me shut up for a few seconds and then come in with tenderness. I don't believe you. You make me sick! If you were half the man Tseng was—"

"Excuse me," he said. Without a sound, he rose and retired to the tent, leaving Elena standing with her mouth open, the insult unfinished. She closed her mouth, hazel eyes flashing with emotion.

"Rude…did you—did you see that? He just walked away… I told you he was an idiot. Always was, always will be." She clenched her fists at her sides.

"Elena…" Rude started. But his words were ignored as Elena followed Reno into the tent, leaving the bald man alone by the fire.

"Hoo boy…" he muttered under his breath, impaling a hot dog with a stick. Maybe he should just quit and become a parole officer. Sure would be a lot easier than dealing with two angsty young adults.

And the marshmallows lay discarded in a corner.

~*~

Author's Notes: Alrighty then...there you have it, part one of my looooooong ficcy. And this is only part one...>_< But there's only 2 parts! So don't be scared! Anyway...I'm aware that "A Walk in the Woods" is the title of a Bill Bryson novel, but hey...I couldn't think of anything else, and it fit. So...yeah. ^_x; **Please review**! Reading nice, happy comments motivates me to keep writing! And believe you me, I really want to finish this...I think it's the first piece of writing that I actually LIKE...anyway. Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for part two! 


	2. Part 2

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Part Two

**

Author's Notes: Howdy all, it's Angi. I recently was browsing through ffNET and came across the reviews for "A Walk in the Woods". All good reviews, wishing for me to put up part two.. and ya know what? It'll be a year come March, and I didn't even grace you all with part 2 yet. How awful is that?! So, I made a compromise. The story is FAR from finished (however, if not for the fact that my computer crashed 3 times this summer, it would be.. ), but has enough to it that I decided to split it into not 2 halves, but three thirds. So.. part two. Who knows when part 3 will make its appearance. But hey.. at least you get some continuity, right? Happy reading. Please review!

Over the months that Elena had worked with Reno, he had done some unbelievable things. He had won 50 gil by doing a heel stretch (although it left him crippled for a month) to show her that he was flexible (he wasn't). He had won 100 gil by hanging out of the 70th floor window in nothing but a pair of flippers. He had done several other things that hadn't gotten him any money, but still were unbelievable. But today was different. Today, he had kissed her.

She felt a chill creep down her spine at the very thought. I mean…he _kissed_ her! They weren't even dating. It was so like him to do such a despicable thing. And what was worse was that she was stuck in a tent with him, had to sleep next to him, had to listen to him snore. She actually didn't think that he snored, but she was so furious at him that he would have to deal with it.

Still, what she said _was_ mean.

She hastily unzipped the front flap of the tent and stormed in, not meeting Reno's aquamarine eyes. Grabbing her fluffy pink pillow, she plopped down on her sleeping bag, flashing Reno a murderous glance. He shrugged, and she looked away innocently.

The silence that followed was suffocating. If one of them could say anything…anything, then the other could breathe again. But neither said a word, and both found themselves feeling lightheaded.

"Listen, I-" They started in unison.

More silence.

"You see, I just-" Again in unison; again more silence.

"When it-"

"It's just that-"

"Urrrrgghhh!" Elena growled, wringing her hands. "Reno, I'm sorry about what I said. I take it back. It was mean. I'm just a little…_shocked_, that's all. Yeah."

Reno made a little sound of understanding, a grin spreading across his face.

"'S'okay, 'Lenna. But, holy shit, you should have seen the look on your face!" Elena bared her teeth as she flung her pillow at Reno's head. His quick reflexes held true and he caught it in his hands, smiling as he gently tossed it back.

"…No, really, it's okay…sorry if I like, over-reacted or whatever out there. I just felt like we had sorta bonded somehow, and thought you wouldn't mind…sorry." Reno reddened a bit and turned his head away awkwardly. Elena's eyes softened and she nodded.

"I'm still mad at you though, so don't think you can get off that easily."

"Perfectly understandable. Never can get off easily with you around."

"Ugh! You're sick!" she said, trying to hide the smile that was inching its way across her face. It hit her that he was trying to charm her and she straightened up.

"Seriously though, I am still mad. And I _don't_ like you."

_Words hurt, Elena_, Reno scoffed. _Try and hold your tongue for once_. He flicked a speck of dirt off of his sleeve.

"You hungry? Rude's probably gettin' lonely out there."

Elena's stomach growled and she blushed. "Yeah, some of them hot dogs sound real good."

Reno nodded and smiled as he unzipped the tent and crawled out. Elena followed close behind, slightly flustered by the glamorous view of Reno's backside.

Rude raised his sunglassed eyes and smiled inwardly. _Seems they worked things out_.

"There's some hotdogs left on the other side of the fire. Here's some skewers," he handed each a metal stick, being careful not to mention anything about the little spat that had just occurred. Elena gingerly poked at a hotdog and set the tip into the fire, turning it to make sure all surfaces were cooked. Reno, on the other hand, stabbed at three dogs and shoved them into the center of the fire, not removing them until the bottoms were blackened. He popped one into his mouth.

"Mmm…that's good eatin'," he remarked, his mouth full with burnt meat. Elena turned away from the disgusting sight and toward Rude.

"So…what's the plan for tomorrow?" Rude held up his index finger to signal that he was not through chewing. Reno scarfed down the last hot dog and headed to the tent.

Rude swallowed and spoke. "I'm thinking of maybe going hiking…I heard that there's a beautiful lake a little higher up the mountain. If the weather's good maybe we could swim."

"That would be fun, but considering how the weather's been, I don't think swimming will be an option…" As if on cue raindrops began to fall, and Reno emerged from the tent, holding his jacket close to his body.

"Good idea," Rude mouthed, and he too headed toward the tent to retrieve his coat.

Once Reno was sure that Rude was in the tent, he snuggled up closer to Elena and rested his head on her shoulder. She tensed.

"Still mad at you, remember?"

"Oh…right, right," Reno raised his head as gently as he had set it down. "Want me to get your jacket? Don't want you to catch pneumonia or somethin'."

"It's okay, I can get it myself," she walked toward the patched-up tent. "Uh, Reno, this tent doesn't leak, does it?" the multi-colored duct tape that adorned the holes suddenly looked incredibly fragile, and the rain was becoming a downpour by the minute. The two watched as the fire struggled to stay alive, the flames reaching up toward the sky in a desperate grasp before they shrunk into the embers. They exchanged glances and both ran to the tent, Elena shivering in only her see-through khaki shirt and slacks.

****

"Ugh…I'm soaked," Elena said as she rummaged through her bag for her pajamas.

"You think _you_ have it bad," Reno remarked as he tried his hardest not to stare at Elena's chest, "My pajamas are covered in sunscreen."

He did have a point. By now, the rain was falling much too hard to go out and ask Rude for a change of clothes. And considering how cold it was outside, and how thin the tent was, _and_ that Elena was with him, sleeping in the buff was _not_ an option.

Elena had her own set of worries…what about _changing_? She most certainly did _not_ want to have Reno watching her like a chocobo in the headlights as she peeled off the soaked shirt and pants…and undergarments…she swallowed down a lump that was quickly forming in her throat. She nervously wadded her pajamas in her hands as she looked desperately at Reno.

"Yeah, I know…" he said, reading her mind. "What do you wanna do? I don't wanna sleep naked and you prob'ly don't wanna change in front of me…"

"Well…" she pondered, resting her head in her hands, "Maybe I could wear the shirt of the pajamas and you could wear the bottoms…the shirt is long enough to cover what I want covered on me, and the pants'll cover what I want covered on _you_."

"Agreed."

And so Elena handed Reno the purple plaid flannel pants, hesitating to remove her own shirt in front of him. Deciding it was that or remain cold and wet, she quickly peeled off the garment and the bra underneath it, sliding the fuzzy shirt over her head. She quickly realized that being dry was often taken for granted. She removed the khaki pants and changed her undergarments and was finished. She giggled as she glanced at Reno, who had taken her pillow and put it over his head.

"You done gettin' naked?"

She sighed. "Yes. How cute, we match." Reno removed the pillow and smirked as he casually looked at his watch.

"Jeez, it's late. Shall we retire for the night?"

"Sure," Elena said, sounding grateful. She snuggled into her sleeping bag and snatched the pillow away from Reno. "Good night."

"Night," he said, resting his head on his arm. "See ya in the mornin'." There was no response. "'Lenna?" Silence. Reno changed position to rest on his elbow. "Aw, the poor gal's out. Nighty-night, my darling."

Elena shifted in her sleep. "Still…mad at you…remember?" she mumbled.

Reno's elbow gave way and he landed hard on his head.

****

It was late.

Late actually could be an understatement, considering how dark it was and, moreover, how quiet.

Quiet except for the steady _tap, tap, tap_ of the rain, the rhythm gnawing at one's mind, driving them to the brink of insanity. The rain fell, and hit. Fell, and hit. Fell, and hit. Multiplied by infinity and it was no wonder that Reno's eyes were locked open, his body rigid, his teeth clenched.

_Tap, tap, tap_.

Sleepless. Not a wink in four hours.

_Tap, tap, tap_.

The more he ignored the rain, the more other things would irritate. Elena's even breathing.

_In, out._

Tap, tap, tap.

The wind rustling a tree branch.

_Rustle, rustle._

In, out.

Tap, tap, tap.

Rude mumbling in his sleep.

_Stop petting my chest hair._

Rustle, rustle.

In, out.

Tap, tap, tap.

Reno couldn't take it any longer. He needed to bore himself out of his mind. Something never-ending, but most certainly _without_ a rhythm. A dull book, perhaps. Yes, Elena certainly would have some dull, ancient novel in her backpack, something to make his eyes droop and his body go limp. He undid a buckle and peered inside, ignoring the cold on his bare chest. Darkness. He felt around for the clunky flashlight. Successful, he pushed the button, sending a beacon of light into the huge sack. Reno chuckled softly. It was practically a shop in there; items upon items upon items filled every space available.

An electric thermometer. Of course not. Why would he take his temperature at 3:30 in the morning? Only the truly desperate would do that.

He popped the cool metal end into his mouth and pushed the button to activate the timer.

Every four seconds: beep, beep, beep. A shrill, high-pitched whine that could be heard for miles. Elena tossed and turned in her sleeping bag. Reno fumbled in the dark for the button to turn the blasted thing off. He pushed it and the screaming stopped.

"Phew…" he sighed, dropping the offender back into the bag. He grabbed the flashlight again and continued to scavenge for something boring to lull him into slumber.

A toothbrush. A bruised banana. A plastic bag with "makes um bigger" scrawled in 4th grade handwriting.

_Did she ever bother to clean this bag out_? Reno wondered inanely.

Clothes and more clothes. One striped one-piece bathing suit with a label that said (in Elena's current handwriting) "Wear around Rude/Reno". Another swimsuit, this one a skimpy black bikini, whose label read, "Wear around Tseng". Reno shook his head. Pretty pathetic, that crush.

"What's this?" he mumbled, coming upon a weathered scrap of paper, folded meticulously into the shape of a heart. _Probably another something from fourth grade_. He carefully unfolded the paper. It was a letter. What's more, it was addressed to Tseng. Now _this_ was interesting. He began to read.

_"Dear Tseng,_

First off, I would like to apologize. For everything. For screwing up, for not shutting up, for being a nuisance. I know your patience is wearing thinner by the minutes with every word I speak. But please, if you will find it in your heart to continue reading this letter, the volumes spoken by my mirth will be enough to mend your tainted patience.

From the moment I first lay eyes on you, I have been in love. Maybe 'opposites attract' holds true. For you are nothing like me, and that is why I love you. You never slip up, you always are levelheaded, and you think things through. How I long for someone with these qualities to guide me through my life, helping me in my quest to become a better person.

So Tseng, before you embark to the Temple, I want to thank you…thank you for helping me, guiding me, reprimanding me even. Thank you for the long nights of training, your time wasted on a hopeless case that could never do anything right. Thank you for smiling. For laughing. For being. Mostly, thank you for inviting me to dinner. I shall be sure to arrive promptly for once. The French restaurant on the upper plate, correct?

Also, Tseng…if for some unknown reason I am not able to show for dinner…I wanted to tell you one thing…I love you with all my heart. Tseng…will you be mine?

With everlasting love,

Elena"

Reno let out a winded sigh as he stared in disbelief at the paper before him. So he had been wrong all along. This definitely wasn't a silly schoolgirl crush. This was a true infatuation; Elena was madly in love with Tseng. And the true love of her life was now dead…

Reno blinked, and found it hard to open his eyes again. Ah, so something in Elena's bag _had_ helped him doze off.

But it surely was _not_ boring.

He shoved the letter back into the bag and snuggled deep within the downy folds of his sleeping bag, turning so he was facing Elena's sleeping form. She looked so peaceful when she was asleep; her thick blonde hair framing her face as her sweet breath escaped her full lips. He thought of kissing her again right then and there, but decided against it. What if he ended up suffocating her in her sleep? He rested his red mane on his lanky arm and soon was consumed by slumber.

****

She awoke.

It was early, she could tell. The birds were still asleep, their melodious song resting in their throats until the sun had graced them with all its luminescent glory. Reno was still asleep and probably would be for the next six hours. He never was an early riser; he would always arrive late to work, groggy and disoriented, a half-eaten donut attached to his lips. He looked like a baby, curled up in the sheets, innocence written all over him. You never could have guessed that he was an assassin, kidnapper, and many other non-innocent things.

Elena rose out up off of the floor, yawning and running her fingers through her short hair. The smell of rain hung thick over her head, a cold, metallic, dirt smell that made her want to forget everything and curl back into her warm bed. She did just that, plopping down into the thick warmth of her pillow, sighing in ecstasy.

"Vacation," she let the word roll pleasantly off her tongue. It felt light and sunny, like a slice of the daystar being spoon-fed to her off of a silver platter. She sunk even further into her sleeping bag. Why get up now, when she can get up later?

The warmth enveloped her and she felt herself relax and slowly start to give in to sleep. The rain had seemed to have stopped; the gentle, feather-light pattering had ceased, and now only silence occupied the woods. The tent was warm, nature was well, and all was as it should be.

Well, except for the sleeping, shirtless Reno lying just inches from her flannel-clad body, wearing her pants no less. That irked her some, but not much. The day was starting off too beautifully to be irk-able.

Elena chuckled softly. _Irk-able_.

The rain smell was beginning to fade as the sun peeked out from behind the mountains, burning it away to nothingness. Outside the tent, the morning sun cast long shadows over the ground; the earth was awakening from its dreams and started another day. The tears of rain had been shed, watering the hurt the soil felt. Nurtured by the tears, the grass shone green, the planet radiating happiness. The sun grew higher, the shadows faded, and the dreariness was gone, as if it all had been a lie.

And the people slept next to another, both radiating happiness through their dreams. The sun warmed the birds' throats as it coaxed out a song for morning, a song of mirth that the sun was shining. The other, smarter, not-so-enthralled-with-morning birds swooped down and attacked the soggy bag of marshmallows with a vengeance, squawking loudly as they triumphantly gulped down a moist mound of sugar, with some of the plastic wrapper intact. Elena and Reno were both jolted out of bed by the birds' war cry, eyes wide with terror.

"What the hell's goin' on?" Reno muttered as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

"Oh…just birds," Elena ran her hands through her hair, grumbling. Reno glanced at his watch, making a disgusted face.

"It's _6:30_…I can't get up this early…" the redhead flopped down into his sleeping bag, shielding his eyes with his hands. Elena yawned and stretched.

"I'll probably just get up anyway…think the weather's good."

And it was.

Elena reveled in the piney scent as she stepped out of the tent, glancing casually at the ruckus the birds were making over the discarded marshmallows. The sun shone bright and warm, although the morning chill lingered in the air, nipping at Elena's bare thighs. She colored slightly.

"Reno, you gettin' up?" she called towards the tent. There was no answer. She smiled, glad to have the beautiful morning all to herself.

Zipping open the tent, she grabbed her shoes, a change of pants and a jacket, putting them on slowly so as not to rouse Reno out of slumber. She then zipped the flap back up, and, turning around, let out a happy sigh. The sun peeked through the canopy of the forest ahead of her; lace-like patterns speckling the ground. She headed toward it and stared at her feet as she walked, the dirt smell intensifying with every step. She was notably grateful that the rain had ceased; now she could swim at the lake and most importantly, not worry about the men staring at her dampened T-shirt.

She walked around in a small half circle, letting the crisp mountain air revive her senses and coax her into staying awake. She let her mind wander into whatever area it wished, thoughts shifting from mornings to ice cream to Tseng to socks and back to Tseng again.

She froze in her steps. How he would have loved a morning like this…and how she would love to have been able to share one with him. Tseng and Elena, the early risers, taking a morning stroll together through the mountains. She looked up towards the canopy and closed her eyes as she let her body take in the light.

Elena opened her eyes and was surprised to find herself back at the campgrounds. Reno was squatting, wearing the purple flannel pants and an over-sized sweater and eating out of a can of refried beans. Rude was already dressed in some sweatpants and a polo with the Shinra logo emblazoned on the breast pocket.

"Hey," said Elena, startled by the sound of her voice. Rude nodded his head in greeting. Reno paid her no mind and continued to shovel the beans into his mouth. She stood maladroitly, fiddling with the drawstring on her pants.

"We're gonna swim today, so you might wanna put your bathing suit on under your clothes," said Rude. "Hey…you two match." He pointed at Elena and Reno, noting Elena's shirt and Reno's pants.

"Yup…I was finally able to get into her pants," Reno smirked at his lewd comment. Elena sent a stone cold glare his way and the snide smile vanished in a heartbeat.

"_Anyway_…" Elena spoke with deliberate slowness. "I think I _will_ go change, Rude. I don't plan on wearing this anyway. It looks like it's gonna be really hot." She headed to the tent.

"Reno man, you're never going to get the good girls if you talk to them that way," Rude clucked his tongue disapprovingly. Reno swallowed down a spoonful of beans and flinched.

"Yeah, I know…but it's just how I am. I can't change my ways just like-" he snapped his fingers. "-that."

The bald man took the empty can of beans from Reno and placed it in a plastic trash bag, humming softly.

"Well…maybe you should just give up the chase, then. If you're going to be immature, you should set your eyes on someone who can both dish it out and take it." He locked sunglassed eyes with the other man.

Reno looked away and scoffed. "Rude…you're talking to _Reno_ here. And if you really knew me, you'd know that Reno never gives up until he gets his way." He stood up and sauntered over to the tent. "And I'm getting my way."

-----

More Author's Notes: Yeah.. it was shorter than part 1, but if I hadn't decided to split it into 3 parts this thing would have been about 3 times as long. So, what do you think? Do you like how it's going? Hate it? Let me know! Write a r.e.v.i.e.w.. *points downwards at nifty review column* Tatalatootoo! 


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